One of the most important life skills that can be learned is
effective communication. Benjamin Ambrosio is a police officer in New York City and knows how important it is to be able to communicate
clearly. Here are some essential tips to learn how to communicate more
clearly.
- Be cognizant of your body language. Your non-verbal cues often reveal more than you might think they do. It is important not to forget that you are constantly communicating even when you haven’t spoken a word.
- To be more persuasive, cut out the unnecessary conversation fillers from your speech. When you use words like, “um” and “ah” you are doing very little to improve everyday conversations.
- Have a script prepared for small talk? Always have a plan for conversation for those inevitable awkward silences that happen with people you don't know. Think about information that you can share that might help you find common ground with the other person.
- Ask questions and repeat the last few words of what the other person has said. This shows that you have an interest in what is being said and helps to clarify points that you may have misunderstood.
- Put away any distractions. When you are supposed to be hanging out with someone, put away the phone and pay attention to the person you are with.
